Together
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: drabbles,oneshots, and missing scenes based on the season five episode 'Angel and Devils'
1. Don

I'm bribing myself that if I do one homework assignment (going back for my bachelor's degree) I can write one piece of fanfiction. So far it's working. :)

I'm still catching up on Numb3rs episodes since missing the original run of the series. I found the wonderful season five episode "Angel and Devils" on Amazon and watched it several times this weekend. This fic is a series of drabbles, oneshots and missing scenes featuring various pov during that episode. First up is Don, then Alan, Larry, Charlie and finally Amita.

Title: Status Quo  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
POV: Don

Being an FBI agent meant life and death were status quo. It was something Don dealt with nearly every day he went into the office. Murders, robberies gone bad and kidnapping were just part of the job.  
This kidnapping however had hit way too close to home.  
His brother Charlie had been injured during his girlfriend Amita's kidnapping.

More than anything Don hated seeing people suffer.  
Especially people he loved.  
Being the older brother it had always been Don's duty to protect Charlie and keep him safe and out of trouble.  
The only way Don could do that now was to find Amita and bring her home safe.

Now hours into the kidnapping Don stood watching his brother struggle to cope with the tragedy. Watched as Charlie fought with the math that normally came as easily as breathing.  
The elder Eppes was terrified that if he failed to bring Amita home; that if the worst happened Charlie would be lost forever.  
That was an outcome that Don could not afford to let happen.

No matter how dangerous things got Don would do whatever it took to keep his family together.  
The risks were part of having a badge and Don would endure them if it brought Amita home to his brother.  
Charlie safe and happy was all that mattered.  
That was Don's duty as a brother.

end


	2. Alan

Title: loss  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
POV: Alan  
Category: missing scene

As soon as Alan Eppes saw his youngest son his heart broke. Sadness and fear were etched on Charlie's face all evidence of the trauma he'd just endured. Alan caught up to Charlie in the conference room where the young man was struggling to pour a cup of coffee. The math professor's hands shook so badly he could barely hold the cup let alone the coffee pot full of hot liquid.

Alan quickly took the coffee pot from his son and gently took the styrophone cup from Charlie's outstretched hand. "Charlie, I'll get this for you...sit."

Wordlessly Charlie nodded and slumped into a chair.

Placing the cup of coffee in front of his son Alan leaned against the table studying Charlie. Don had called and told him that Charlie had been hurt and Alan tried to hide the wince as he looked at the bandage across the middle of Charlie's forehead. Don had also filled him in on the car explosion and how everyone had thought Amita had been inside. Alan put a comforting hand on his youngest's right shoulder. Alan couldn't imagine the grief and horror Charlie must have felt in those long minutes of thinking the worst.

Alan knew grief all too well. He remembered clearly the day his wife was diagnosed with cancer. The loss Alan had felt when Margaret had died was as if somebody had ripped his heart out and stomped on it. He could see his son was dealing with the same kind of heart stomping even though Amita's outcome had been different. When you think someone you love is dead it is not an easy thing to get over or get past.  
Hope can be a wonderful thing but hope had a long battle ahead of it today.

"Charlie,"Alan began gently. "Did they give you any pain medication?"

Charlie shook his head and cringed at the movement. "No...need a clear head...have to think...have to figure out perimeters...she needs me..."

"You'll figure it out, son."Alan assured Charlie but he wasn't sure his son heard him as Charlie sprang to his feet and picked up a dry erase marker.

Alan felt helpless not being able aide his son more. He could only watch as Charlie started an equation and stopped only a few numbers in talking to himself. It was a painful process watching Charlie in such an emotional upheaveal trying to make numbers fit that his brain was too stunned to process.  
Knowing there was nothing more he could do at the moment Alan remained in the room leaning against the wall.  
Offering his son the only thing he could: silent support.

end


	3. Charlie

Thanks as always for the reviews. :) This is the first of two Charlie oneshots. I'm not happy with this one especially the tense so it may get a rewrite.

Title: Lifeline  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
POV: Charlie

In those awful seconds after the explosion the only thing that was real to Charlie was his brother. He didn't remember David stopping him and strong arming him back from the flames.  
Don had been his lifeline like he always was.  
Charlie had struggled against his brother's protective grasp.  
The need to get to Amita overwhelming.  
Until cold reality had finally sunk in.  
The fire had transfixed Charlie. He couldn't draw his gaze from it no matter how much he had wanted to.  
Everything was surreal...couldn't be happening...not Amita...

The time between then and now as Charlie sat in the police cruiser was fuzy. He only had a vague memory of David and Don pulling him to his feet. The surroundings of the squad car barely registered as Don had gently ushered him into the passenger seat. From there Charlie had watched as the fire department had put out the flames.  
Had watched as the M.E. had removed the occupants of the jeep.  
Colby, Don and David had alternated being sentry keeping Charlie away from the gruesome scene as the bodies were taken out of the vehicle.

Bodies...  
Dead...  
Burned...  
Amita...

Squeezing his eyes shut Charlie rested his head on his knees which he had gathered to his chest. As much as he had wanted to see the bodies...part of him thinking he could prove just by looking that Amita wasn't among them...the other part of him had caved when Don told him to stay put.  
Charlie hadn't wanted to remember Amita like that...if she was gone...  
No...she couldn't be gone...

Bile rose in Charlie's throat and he forced it back by sheer will power.  
His head pounded and his eyes burned from the smoke and tears.  
A gentle hand on his left shoulder drew Charlie's attention. He raised his head and saw Don standing solemnly a few feet away

"You should've let me see her."The mathematician stated the words coming out in a frantic rush.

"We don't know that she was in the car for sure, Charlie."Don replied gently as he moved around the car door. "Come on, let's get you home."

Charlie shot to his feet fighting off the dizziness.

"I'm not going home...I'm going to the FBI. I'm going to find out what happened."Charlie heard his voice break. "The person responsible for this is out there and I'm going to find them."

Don pulled him into a comforting embrace and Charlie buried his head against his brother's shoulder. He was glad Don was here...if the worst happened.  
If it was true that his heart and soul had been in that jeep...Charlie knew his lifeline would be there every step of the way to get the person responsible.

end


	4. Charlie2

Thanks for all the reviews they are much appreciated. :) Glad the previous Charlie chapter worked okay. :) For those wondering a new chapter of Long Way home should be up by Saturday. :)

Title: Constant  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
POV: Charlie

Charlie stared at the wooden pieces in his hands. Try as he might he couldn't remember where he had seen it before. All he kept seeing was Amita's terrified face as she was taken from him.  
Her screams and the sound of the explosion blocked out his thoughts.  
Blocked out the math that would help bring her home.  
Home...  
The word echoed in Charlie's tormented thoughts.  
All he wanted was Amita home...safe.

Especially after those horrible dark moments when the jeep exploded.  
When he thought he'd lost the woman he loved forever.  
Charlie set the evidence bag down on the table and rubbed at his dry tired eyes.  
He had to think...had to focus.  
If he didn't they could lose Amita again and that Charlie knew he wouldn't recover from.

Charlie had taken Amita for granted over the years.  
She was always there.  
A constant in his busy life.  
Now she was in the hands of a mad man.  
The mathematician's blood ran cold at the thought of what Amita had been through...what she was going through...  
Images of them finding Amita bloodied and bruised flashed in front of his mind's eye.

Charlie swallowed hard and shook his head to clear it. Pain answered at the movement and Charlie shoved the nausea back.  
His head hurt like hell but that didn't matter.  
The only thing that mattered was getting Amita home...safe.  
Opening his eyes Charlie picked up the wood pieces and went back to work.

end


	5. Amita

Thanks for the reviews on this one. :) This will be the last chapter. I know I was originally going to do Larry's POV but I don't think I would do him justice.

Title: Strength  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Notes and summary: See part one

Amita had heard of panic attacks she'd just never thought she'd experience one. She had read about PTSD and knew the symptoms but had thought she'd been coping with the kidnapping.  
Apparently not.

The young professor sat huddled on the floor of Charlie's shower at eight that morning. Five days after her rescue. Hot water streamed down hitting the shower wall just above Amita's head. Her hands shook violently and tears flowed down her face. Sobs wracked her body and Amita found it hard to breathe.  
Rationally Amita knew she was safe. Knew she was home. It had to have been the nightmare that had triggered the panic attack. Remembering the nightmare had brought everything about the ordeal back in crystal clarity.

Between her sobs and the running water Amita hadn't heard the knock on the door.  
Hadn't heard Charlie call for her as her fiance poked his head in to the bathroom.  
Amita barely noticed as Charlie turned the water off and knelt next to her. Briefly disoriented the young woman jumped and pulled back when Charlie lightly grasped her right shoulder. After a few minutes Amita felt the panic and fear subside and she met Charlie's worried gaze. She buried herself in his arms.  
Neither caring that she was getting him soaking wet.

"Sssshh, sweetheart, you're safe."Charlie whispered as he rubbed Amita's back. "You're safe, I've got you."

Amita clung to Charlie for several long minutes before composing herself and pulling back. Charlie retrieved a blue towel and wrapped her in it as he gently pulled Amita to her feet.

"I'm sorry I got you wet."Amita apologized with a sniffle.

"Doesn't matter."Eppes soothed as he brushed a wet strand of hair away from his fiance's face. "You scared me when you didn't answer."

"Sorry."Amita replied quietly. "Panic attack."

"Triggered by the dream?"Charlie inquired with concern.

Amita nodded wordlessly as she interlaced her right hand with Charlie's.

"You need to talk to somebody."Charlie suggested. "Even if it's not to me."

Tears came again and Amita hugged Charlie. "I know...I love you."

"I love you too."Charlie replied huskily. "You can tell me anything...we're in this together."

They stood there for several minutes wrapped in each others arms. Amita was never more grateful for Charlie.  
For his strength.  
For his love.  
It was the only thing keeping her from falling completely apart.  
Amita knew with Charlie by her side she'd recover from the kidnapping and move on to their new life together.

end


End file.
